Birth of XATHURA
by FlowerofAdversity
Summary: Code Lyoko, reincarnated Earth timeline. XANA's plan to impregnate Sissi takes root, and soon XATHURA is born.


Birth of XATHURA

Note: Code Lyoko, reincarnated Earth time-line. XANA's quest to impregnate Sissi takes shape and Sissi finds her teenage life horribly complicated. Not wanting to abort even though she was raped, she respects life and carries the baby to term. Though the labor nearly kills her, she gives birth to XATHURA, the spawn of evil that will mean doom for the somewhat perfect world the Warriors and humankind inhabit.

Chapter 1—Complexity

Elisabeth Delmas had once gone through a nightmare of being raped by XANA and feared going through another atrocious vision like this again. The ocurrance was so vivid that she wasn't certain what to make of being so frightened as she was. All of a sudden, she had begun crying so fiercely that her body literally shook.

Jim, having hearing her cries, came to see what was the matter.

"What's wrong, dear ?", he questioned, seeing as she didn't want to be touched. But as soon as he placed his hand atop hers, she began to calm down considerably.

"I had that nightmare again, Jim. I'm afraid XANA might come back and try the same thing again.", she confessed, looking at him with teary eyes.

"Honey, that was only a nightmare. You know I'm here to protect you, no matter what. Whatever happens, Elisabeth...I love you dearly. Nothing..._Nothing_ can change that.", Jim confessed, kissing her forehead. Elisabeth trusted her protector with her life, knowing he was there to protect her and that he always loved her whatever happened, even if they argued with one another. He reassured her he would be guarding her tonight, but sadly, even his presence wasn't going to save Sissi from the horrors that were about to overtake her and throw her seemingly perfect world out of whack.

After Jim had sung Sissi to sleep, he kept watch at her door, drinking energy drinks to keep him awake through the night. He saw Odd wandering down the hall listening to music and shook his head.

"What on Earth is he doing up at this hour ?", he thought to himself. By the time he had turned around, it was too late to notice that it wasn't Odd he had tried to send back to his appropriate dormitory.

XANA, in the guise of Odd, had tricked Jim and placed him under a petrification spell and then released his oneiru mist. With that, Jim fell asleep and was unable to protect his surrogate daughter.

Sissi, still lost in dreams, heard some music and started to awaken.

"Oh, Odd. I missed you love. What are you doing here ? Couldn't sleep ?", Sissi asked sweetly. Odd didn't speak much, and rended the clothes quickly from his body. Sissi was shocked at the boldness of her boyfriend and tried to cool him down a bit, but there was no dissuading him. She soon found herself half asleep and half awake within the throes of passion. It had lasted for a few hours until XANA had sewn his seed and left Sissi there to sleep soundly. He had savored every moment with her, feeling a bit drained from having intercourse with her in physical reality. But knowing his plan had been successful, he left with a smirk on his face, still in Odd's guise, and teleported back to Lyoko.

When Sissi awakened, she screamed. Her whole body ached and she didn't understand the pain she was having. She ran to Jim, who had been petrified and realized what had just happened to her. But she was terrified from what this revealed to her. He had begun to have movement in his body and could see Sissi was trembling.

"I am sorry, Sissi...I couldn't protect you. You probably hate me now.", Jim said, trying not to cry.

"I don't hate you, but I need to see Susanne immediately. If what I think happened to me is true, then, it will probably be Odd who hates _me_.", Sissi said, her voice shaking. She trembled again and he touched her shoulder to try to calm her. He took her by the hand and escorted her to the infermary.

Susanne was slightly upset with Sissi until she had heard what had happened. She had given her a pregnancy test and they waited to see what the result was.

"Positive ? No...NO ! I don't _want_ to be a mother.", Sissi said, sinking down against the corner and weeping again. She had been crying awfully frequently. Her teenage life as she knew it, was about to be drastically changed, and in that one atrocious moment, she had to unwillingly but begrudgingly enter the world of womanhood. Yolande had discussed she could always have an abortion, but she wasn't going through with it. This child, even though Sissi knew the capabilities he would have later on, would live.

Odd, Ulrich, Sissi, Sam, William, Jeramie, Aelita, Herve and Nicholas had seen Susanne, Jim and Sissi leaving from the infermary and she was still in tears. They had noticed she was starting to look a little bit different, almost as if she had a glow to her entire frame.

"Sissi, what's going on ? You look even more beautiful than usual, did you do something...", Odd said before Sissi stopped him, by placing her finger on his lips. Then, she simply held him close for some semblance of comfort. She had told her friends what had happened and they were shocked. Though it would be an arduous journey for all of them, they would stay by her side and support her. As for Odd, he too felt guilty that this had happened, but he didn't hate her for falling prey to XANA's spells.

Chapter 2—'Til Death

In 9 months time, Sissi had become quite large and it was hard for her to walk without sweating every two steps. She drank a lot of water and had strange food cravings but she was starting to experience more aches and pains than normal. Her body was definitely unprepared for the ailments of pregnancy at such a young age. She had begun feeling labor pains when she had gone to bed and started feeling very threatened. She wasn't certain if she could give birth to the child she had been carrying for so long.

Jim had heard Sissi's anguished cries and carried her quickly to the infermary. Usually the infermary wasn't built for such an emergency as this one but it would have to do. All of her friends were by her side as she began to experience sharp, excruciatingly labor pains. Susanne coached her through the birthing process but noticed Sissi was starting to fail.

"Please don't give up...You're just about there.", Susanne said, gently as Sissi regained her strength near the brink of death and the little baby was born. Odd had to recussitate her to bring her back to life, but technically, she had died just after the infant boy had been delivered. After the beautiful baby had been cleaned off, he was given to his mother.

"He looks exactly like that cur...", Odd said, grumbling. Just then, the little boy held Odd's finger, and that ended the hatred he had for the little one.

"I'm calling him XATHURA. Not exactly certain why, but it was a name I had in my mind once I knew I was expecting. I can't believe I actually made it.", Sissi said, still quite weak. Her body had gone through so much that she couldn't move on her own accord. But she would do what she could to take care of little XATHURA when she was strong enough to do so. He would go to the care of Odd for the time being, and the others would follow suit being good parents while Sissi rested to regain her strength and heal.

XANA had fretted over seeing Sissi nearly dying but he saw his son from a distance. He heard his cries.

Through telepathy, he soothed him.

"Don't worry, I will come for you my little one.", he said, softly, and somehow this message had caused XATHURA's sobs to cease completely. Although he was so far away and too small to be taken from his home, XANA would return for him when the time was right.

Chapter 3—My Destiny is to Kill ?

Elisabeth was resting peacefully on her bed in the Infirmary, Her body was going back to normal, and her energy levels were slowly going back up. She was crying in her sleep, but had soon awakened once she heard XATHURA whimpering in his slumber. Her feelings were so confused, particularly now that she had become a mother. She adored little XATHURA although he was descended from darkness. Holding him in her arms made him happy, more than she ever realized she could be. The tiny infant seemed to be growing at an accelerated rate. It probably wasn't unusual for him to do so, but he was growing at twice the normal pace of an average human child. He was only partially human, and Sissi knew this. Despite knowing he had a birth father, XATHURA loved his non-blood father, Odd, who had grown rather fond of the boy, but was baffled by the boy's knowledge and his aptitude for fixing technological items and his vast vocabulary and knowledge.

There was no doubt this being was indeed incredibly intellectual. He had a feeling he was going to be called back to his "home" wherever this home was. So, he told no one else but his mother that he was leaving.

"Mother, I must be going. Father will be coming for me.", XATHURA said, with slight sadness.

"Do you want to go ? I mean, why can't you stay here ?", Sissi said, stroking the young boy's dark hair, gazing into his deep ruby eyes. She knew what could be ahead of him if he joined his sinister father.

"I must. Even if I do not wish to, I am beckoned and I cannot turn away.", XATHURA said, with some tears in his eyes. Just then, he had been summoned into virtualization by XANA and he had disappeared from his mother's sight.

_In Lyoko..._

"Ah, I see you made the transition well. I wasn't certain your DNA would hold up to virtualization, but you are, after all, my son.", XANA said, hugging his son and kissing his cheeks in traditional greeting.

"Father...", the boy said, not knowing whether to be truly happy or what he was feeling. It certainly wasn't the type of warmth he felt from his darling mother.

"Do you know why you're not meant for Earth, XATHURA ?", XANA questioned, sitting the boy down as they partook in a dinner together, provided by the ladies of his court.

"No...I don't have any idea, father.", XATHURA confessed, eating quietly.

"You will come to make the world your own. The empire we have will be beginning soon.", XANA said, with a sinister grin.

"What ? Father, I can't hurt my own kind, and that's what you want me to do isn't it ? _Isn't it ?!"_, XATHURA fumed, slamming his fist on the table in anger.

"My little Prince, it is what you were born to do. You have no choice in the matter.", XANA said, wanting to choke XATHURA fiercely, but resisted. XATHURA felt it better to hold his tongue and keep his true thoughts to himself. He disallowed his father from reading his mind by blocking his father's telepathic probing.

"You miss your mother, don't you ?", he asked the young, precocious seed of evil.

"Of _course_ I do. _You_ brought me here, I'd rather see _her_ !", XATHURA said, bitterly. XATHURA was brimming with anger and so badly wanted to beat his father senseless at this moment. If he only knew the type of power he had, he could kill his father right then and there, but he was oblivious to his mass destructive qualities.

"You will see her soon enough, my boy.", XANA said, through gritted teeth. He had never considered the fact that his own flesh and blood would loathe the very sight of him. It was a strange, bewildering ambivalence that passed between the two of them. But hopefully with returning Sissi to the virtual realm, he would calm down quite a bit.

Chapter 4—Hard Battle

In the middle of the night, Odd had been alerted to an awful reality. Sissi was gone. He had been the first to look for her, feeling that she was in danger, and indeed she was. He alerted the others, telling them they had to move quickly and there wasn't any time to lose. XANA was planning something, but none of them really knew what he was truly plotting.

XATHURA had since grown since he had seen his birth mother last, but he was shocked how lifeless and pale she looked despite how sumptuous she looked in her long, flowing, black dress. Her tiara was fashioned out of polished onyx, as well as her choker and earrings. Normally, Sissi would've looked ravishing, but there was absolutely no life in her eyes. She had been lost to XANA's control. XATHURA wished he could break the spell that was on his precious mother. But, he didn't have any idea how to do so.

"Let Sissi go, you beast...", Odd seethed, his veins starting to pop in his forehead.

"She's _my_ wife, you twit. I will not just release her as you command. We're a family now, DellaRobia.

There is nothing you can do about that.", XANA barked back, irately.

"She's _our_ friend, and we will rescue her !", Aelita grumbled. She had rarely been this angered before, but she became very protective about her friends, and desperately wanted to rescue Sissi from this plight.

The rest of them agreed in unison, beginning to hold their weapons defensively or prepare to fire.

XANA simply laughed, and tsked, wagging his finger back and forth.

"Fine, if that is what you wish.", XANA said beginning the attack. XATHURA didn't wish to fight, nor did he want to kill. It wasn't in his nature, and he didn't agree with warring over something so petty. But this time, it was his mother that his friends were fighting for. As the harsh battle continued, he caught his mother, still locked in her trance, and took her to a cleared tower where XANA wouldn't be able to find her nor harm her.

"They can come to look for you here, mother. Do not leave. Your friends will come for you.", XATHURA said, as his hands left his mother's and she was placed within a cleared tower where she couldn't be reached by XANA. Just then, XATHURA felt a laser beam cut into his arm. He winced in pain. XANA who was riding on the back of a Crabbe, said nothing and fired again. Like a deer caught in headlights, XATHURA stood completely still and was obliterated.

"It had to come to pass...", XANA thought, with little or no remorse. XATHURA had been murdered, but XANA didn't shed one single tear over his own son's death. Not caring about where Sissi was, he continued battling the Warriors and found himself surrounded. Jim and Odd combined their attack of a laser arrow and lightning and fired with rebel yells. XANA was nearly hit in the heart, but was struck down. Lyoko itself seemed to shake and then came the voice of Franz Hopper while Jim and Odd found the safe haven tower and

"Teleport, now !", he commanded as Lyoko seemed to begin falling apart. XANA might perhaps have been done in permanently, but one could never know. Taking the advice of Mr. Hopper, the Warriors left. Aelita had tears in her eyes, fearing she'd never see her father again, but Jeramie promised that he would find a way to transport Mr. Hopper home. He was coming closer to fishing in Franz but still had a few bugs to work out of the old transporter system before he brought Mr. Hopper back home again. And this would come in time.

Right now the matter at hand was getting Sissi home and breaking the spell that had been placed on her.

Chapter 5—Awaken, Princess

None could wake Sissi from her trance than Odd. Just like the prince in _Sleeping Beauty_, his kiss awakened her, and the spell had been broken for good.

"What happened ? Where's XATHURA ? Did we triumph ?", Sissi asked, eagerly.

"We did triumph but...", Jim said, before he stopped, and felt tears welling up in his eyes.

"He was killed trying to save you.", Susanne said, sadly.

"Why ? He didn't have to...I wanted him to live...", Sissi said, beginning to weep. Her friends surrounded her, thinking how devastating it was to have a child die, particularly in such awful circumstances.

"He'll come back someday, I know. So don't worry.", Jim said, holding her. She was devastated, and she would have to grieve for a while. But, with the support of her friends, this transitory period would be far smoother than she ever realized.

After a few months of solemnity, Sissi finally felt true happiness once more and was constantly reassured by her friends that she was always the same Sissi they had come to know and love. To Odd, he would always call her his "Princess", because that is how he saw her: a Princess whose beauty exceeded earthly definitions of aesthetic qualities as a whole. And though she was at peace that XATHURA would come into the world again someday, a part of her heart missed the sweet little boy who had been her son for such a short amount of time.

That night, when Sissi had gone to sleep, she began to dream. At first, she had seen luscious green fields, rushing streams, chirping birds and wild animals roaming freely. From the forest came a familiar figure.

"Mother, I've come to see you.", XATHURA's voice said, warmly. He rushed to see his mother and hold her close as she ran her fingers through his downy raven hair. She looked into his now chocolate eyes, and saw he looked far more human now in his transfigured state. No longer was he wearing a black jumpsuit, but a black shirt, blue jeans, Converse shoes and smelled slightly of rosemary, sage and lilacs.

"I missed you, son.", she said, lovingly, kissing his cheek softly.

"I will return. I won't be your little boy, but William and Sam'll be my parents. I might look slightly different at that time, but you know I'll always love you. I'll _never_ forget you.", XATHURA vowed, his eyes twinkling merrily. He was even more animated now than he had been originally when he was alive.

"I am honored then, XATHURA. I love you. I know you have to go back, but I will always love you.

But you have healed my heart. Thank you...you're such a good son.", Sissi said, her eyes tearing slightly. At least they were tears of happiness and knew her heart was filled to overflowing. XATHURA was about to leave the sumptuous valley but Sissi had one more request.

"Could I sing you a lullaby before you go ?", she questioned, with a gentle smile.

"I would like that, mother.", XATHURA said, holding his mother in a tender embrace.

She sang Brahms Lullaby and Hush Little Baby to him and crouched as he started to fall asleep into her arms, and finally into her lap. And as if he had been a dandelion clock, he dissipated and disappeared in the wind. The valley disappeared, and at last, Sissi awakened to a brand new day, full of possibilities.

Epilogue

Everyone was astonished at how resilient Sissi was, even though she had been through so many adult related traumas in her young life. She was a different woman now, more responsible and accountable than ever before. XANA would have no hold on her now, since she could overcome his spells. He would never have her heart, nor would he be able to force her for her love. Sissi knew whom her true love was, and that was Odd. And he knew this as well. Nothing could ever change that.

Though school had resumed a semblance of normalcy, it was soon time for summer and the students were released. Kadic was much quieter though, but the Morales residence was always bustling with activity. Emily had been inviting her elder friends over for movies, popcorn, Twister and multiple board games. She had even succeeded in teaching them the basics of the complex game of Go and the simplicity of Dominoes.

As they laughed and played, Sissi showed there was still within her the spirit of a child, which could never be robbed from her. Jim, more so than all of them, was glad to see Sissi in a better frame of mind. This was a bittersweet moment, since he realized though they were all together this summer, inevitably the fall would come, and the next year would be their final year at Kadic. He might not see them long after, but he was thinking ahead of himself.

"Something the matter, James ?", Susanne asked, concerned. He hugged her from the side, watching his little friends enjoy themselves with laughter, games and idol chatter.

"Ah, it's nothing. Just savoring the moment, my dear.", he said, kissing her cheek and hearing a small lighthearted titter erupt from those lovely cherry lips of hers. This was the definition of what utopia truly was: being with one's friends, not having a care in the world, and surrounded by the ringing of laughing voices.

The End


End file.
